Reversal of Fortunes
It's a fairly pleasant afternoon in the lower garden district. The sun has a few hours yet before it sets over the horizon, so the more industrious members of the city hurry to finish their daily labors while homebodies prepare the evening meal and children wander the streets. The din of the city is vibrant and alive, as if Alexandria itself is waking from a long winter hibernation.
Vuk was in town following purchasing a few smoked bones for soup, which are safely in the pack he always seems to have. Course his wolf has managed to beg it's way into getting one, and the two of them are enjoying the day before they go to make the short jaunt back to the small cabin Vuk lives in out on the edge of the city. "I should try to cultivate bees for selective feeding to ensure I always have blackberry honey.." he says, as if his wolf understands!
Schneider is out enjoying the life of the wandering adventurer, sampling food from some vendor's stall as he wanders down the street without worry or care. His long platinum hair swirls in a breeze all its own, ignoring the local weather entirely.
GAME: Schneider casts Prestidigitation. Caster Level: 5 DC: -87
Verna received recommendations from several peers that she take advantage of the fair weather and enjoy the gardens. Thus, she is present. Given the lack of precipitation and high wind, it is as comfortable a place to read as the library. She is seated at one of the many benches, utilizing the furniture for its intended purpose of rest whilst observing the sights. In her case, the sights are the writings of the tome which is opened upon her lap.
Nadara, of course, has been busy enjoying the city life and labors. Said labors are very much the province of a Radan cleric like herself. There's just so many activities that require the blessing of the GOd of Trade! "May she bless all your money making endeavours," she shrills at various people, here and there, as htey do their things. Even the homebodies are not exempt. After all, many of them engage in all matter of barter.
Things seem to be completely fine, when out of nowhere a passing carriage is completely devastated by a flying anvil from a nearby livery. The front is completely obliterated by the missile, destroying the hitch that holds the now spooked horses, whom now buck and flee down the street wildly. The carriage itself is knocked over by the force of the impact, one of it's wheels spinning impotently while the dust begins to settle. Utter silence falls upon the street while a pregnant pause hangs in the air, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Which it does when a spectral figure of a dwarf in full plate with a missing arm materializes next to the carriage, plunging it's remaining ethereal hand into one of the cases in the back. With a horrible crack and splintering of wood, the case breaks when the ghostly khazad pulls free its hand, now holding a very solid, very sharp war axe of gleaming adamantine. It doesn't seem overly satisfied by it's prize, as an angry roar echoes down the cobblestone streets and it beings to look for something to use the axe on.
GAME: Schneider rolls initiative: Roll: 9 + Bonus: 3 = Total: 12
GAME: You roll initiative for Ghost Dorf: Roll: 12 + Bonus: +2 = Total: 14
GAME: Vuk rolls initiative: Roll: 19 + Bonus: 5 = Total: 24
GAME: Verna rolls initiative: Roll: 9 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 11
GAME: Nadara rolls initiative: Roll: 18 + Bonus: 3 = Total: 21
Vuk has a moment of Courage <for him> In that his first instinct wasn't to find a way into the culvert and run away. No, first he's going to get his long gun off his wolf, and then take his spot in his saddle and then shrilly yell. "Alarm! Spirits! Minions! Fire! Hide the Children! Get Zippo! He has an anti ghost device!"
Even with the guttural scream of spectral rage, there are a few people left on the street. One of those is the livery blacksmith, who is rather surprised that his anvil just went flying into somebody's carriage. "What in the Iron Hells?" He mumbles, transfixed by the carnage. He doesn't even see the angry spirit until the adamantine axe is brought down to meet a spray of arterial blood and a gurgling. Then the screams truly start as the few pedestrians begin to scatter.
GAME: Schneider casts True Strike. Caster Level: 5 DC: 14
Schneider looks over casually and laughs with amusement as a flying anvil separates a horse and wagon. "That's not something you see every day. Even here!" Well, he thinks he knows a thing or two about spirits, and so with a menacing sort of chant in Jotun, he demands that spirits, presumably different spirits, guide his aim, though how they might do that is not immediately apparent. Well, not to non-spellcasters.
GAME: Hassan rolls 1d20+8: (8)+8: 16
Verna's hood lifts. More restless spirits. They are becoming a plague upon the city as of late. This could explain her current research into Poltergeists and Incorporeal Entities, the title of the book upon her lap. She lifts one gloved hand and forms a morsel of negative energy at her palm. It is tuned slightly out of phase with the general flow before it i released in a nearly invisible explosion with Prime Material. Harmless to the living, the misaligned energy can cause what could be considered discomfort to those powered by negative energy.
GAME: Vuk rolls ranged+1+1+2: (14)+11+1+1+2: 29
GAME: Vuk rolls 1d10+1+1+2+1d6: (4)+1+1+2+(6): 14
Vuk isn't -directly- the cause of anger..and Verna seems to be gesturing at it. Sides, if the -last- time he encountered undead in force in the city is any indication, the town Watch is ill-prepared for such things, and it's murdering good hardy men! KER-CRACK! A shot howls out from his mishmash long gun and slams into the ectoplasma before detonating with sorcerous energies. "That isn't what normally happens!" He's never -shot- a spirit really!
GAME: Nadara casts Magic Circle Against Evil. Caster Level: 6 DC: 16
"Oh! Hey! Undead!" Nadara shrills that out, caught off guard by their sudden appearance. She then proceeds to grab onto gold coin from her pocket. The symbol of Rada is on it. Must be a holy coin. "Rada! Protect me and those near me and I'll toss another platinum into the sea!" She will, too.
GAME: Hassan rolls 1d20+14: (6)+14: 20
GAME: Hassan rolls 1d10+7: (4)+7: 11
GAME: You damaged Verna for 11 points. 12 remaining.
With another bellow of rage, the phantom assailant surges through the air in utter silence towards Verna, slicing the Vardamite across the torso in a long ragged cut. There doesn't seem to be much force behind it, but with the head so sharp and wielded with true skill, it doesn't have to be. With a flourish, the blade is brought to bear for another attack. And then it flickers for the briefest of moments, causing the axe to fall, though just as quickly recovered with the apparition's one remaining hand.
GAME: Schneider casts Scorching Ray. Caster Level: 5 DC: 15
GAME: Schneider rolls 1d20+26: (15)+26: 41
GAME: Schneider rolls 4d6: (15): 15
GAME: Hassan rolls 1d100: (22): 22
Schneider holds out one hand, palm out, other hand on his hip, showing his profile to the ghost dwarf as he shouts dramatically in Jotun, "I summon the spirit of Fire! Strike as I command!" And as the words echo, a spout of fire emerges from his hand and flames wash over the ghostly spirit. When the fires clear, it seems that they had no effect on the spirit, and the expression on Schneider's face is ..... surprised to say the least. He turns and looks at his hand in confusion.
GAME: Verna rolls 1d20+8: (10)+8: 18
GAME: Verna rolls 1d20+melee: (18)+2: 20
That the Vardamite is perhaps more cloth than flesh, wears no armor beneath, and may possibly weigh less than the battle axe could also explain the excess blood from its attack. Verna looses a cry of surprise, pain, and anger. She did not bad touch it before, technically. Now, however, she calls upon the judgement of her Mistress and creates a minor link to the Halls of the Dead. Verna then jabs her gloved hand into the spirit's form. The link draws upon its substance and causes it to warble, wax, and wane. That was a bad touch. Verna then steps back from the thing.
GAME: Vuk rolls stealth: (1)+23: 24
GAME: Hassan rolls 1d20+15: (20)+15: 35
GAME: Vuk rolls ranged+1+1+2: (13)+11+1+1+2: 28
GAME: Vuk rolls 1d10+1+1+2+1d6: (10)+1+1+2+(4): 18
Vuk was going to hide behind some one, right until his wolf walked into a barrel of water and sent it cascading over them both, leaving Vuk and his comrade both thoroughly wet. Of course this does not deter his rifle from Crackling with another shot. Again, the round plunges into the spirit and explodes, ecto chunks spraying over the area.
"We can see you're angry, lost one. Wen can see it. Tell us what you want. Tell us what's keeping you here. Maybe we can resolve it so you can go onto your rest, so we can free your spirit fron what's tethring it to this place," she holds a hand up, glancing at the others, trying to get them to perhaps hold off their attacks if her attempt to reach out to the spirit works in any way. She does close in closer to them, though, to offer them the protection of Rada.
GAME: Hassan rolls 1d20+12: (7)+12: 19
GAME: Hassan rolls 2d10+7: (18)+7: 25
GAME: You damaged Nadara for 25 points. 21 remaining.
The dwarven spectre flickers again, turning to stare blankly at Nadara despite another piece of his essence blasted away by Vuk. Verna's touch and Nadara's words seemed to have pacified it. At least until it goes all Ghostbusters Librarian again, eyes flashing wildly with anger. Even as sluggish and wounded as it is, the blade of the axe finds it's way into the Radan priestess' shoulder. <<DORF DORF>> It screams!
GAME: Schneider casts Spectral Hand. Caster Level: 5 DC: 15
Schneider pauses, puzzled, as Nadara talks with the ghost dwarf. He waits to see what the dwarf will do, but he's hedging his bets. Looks like no? And, well, this thing is a ghost, right? He ... might not know a lot about spirits, but he does have another way .... He raises his blasting hand, and chants in Jotun. It is engulfed for a moment in fire, then the fire vanishes, and for a moment, his hand looks like it's been scorched. A ghostly hand appears next to his.
GAME: Verna casts Spiritual Weapon. Caster Level: 3 DC: 15
GAME: Verna rolls melee+wisdom: (14)+2+3: 19
GAME: Verna rolls 1d8+3: (2)+3: 5
"Magic is the only means to harm it," Verna advises loudly, "and it cannot be permanently destroyed." To that end, she calls upon her Mistress for aid. A shimmering khopesh, an avatar of Lamentation, appears. The blade-shaped force immediately slashes at the spirit.
GAME: Vuk rolls ranged+1+1+2: (11)+11+1+1+2: 26
GAME: Vuk rolls 1d10+1+1+2+1d6: (3)+1+1+2+(6): 13
Vuk has given up on trying to use some one to cower behind..every one is sort of being in the thick of things, he decides to let another shot loose past the others before his wolf is toed into taking a short sprint away so he can wipe the sights off his long gun. "Is there crypts under this district?" He asks outloud...the round just sort of pops inside the dwarven spirit.
GAME: Nadara rolls 3d6: (8): 8
GAME: You damaged Verna for -8 points. 20 remaining.
GAME: You damaged Nadara for -8 points. 29 remaining.
Horrified by the ghost's touch, Nadara stumbles back nd hisses in pain. "Rada, grant those who act in your name the strength to persevere in the face of this degenerated khazadi nonsense! And make you money!"
GAME: Hassan rolls 1d20+8: (13)+8: 21
GAME: Hassan rolls 2d6: (3): 3
The apparition raises the axe to strike at Nadara again while she calls upon her God to heal, but seems burdened still by Verna's touch. While the spectral attacker can't reach her with his blade, he has other options. With a splintery snap and a gesture from it's ragged stump, the overturn wagon wheel snaps off and goes hurtling toward the gobliness. Fortunately, it impacts her back along the spoke rather than the rim, jarring and bruising the priestess, but not otherwise breaking bones.
GAME: Schneider rolls 1d20+9: (3)+9: 12
GAME: Schneider casts Shocking Grasp. Caster Level: 5 DC: 14
Schneider chants enthusiastically in Jotun as the ghost continues to attack, and a spurt of flame appears around the ghostly hand he'd conjured a moment ago. It streaks directly towards the ghostly dwarf and, as Schneider grins widly, zooms right past it like a comet. Schneider looks even more shocked.
GAME: Verna casts Mage Armor. Caster Level: 4 DC: 14
GAME: Verna rolls melee+wisdom: (12)+2+3: 17
GAME: Verna rolls 1d8+3: (6)+3: 9
Verna may not be able to discorporate the spirit permanently, but she can work to pacify it. Lest she receive another axe wound, she conjures a protective field of force, even as the avatar of Lamentation attempts to lay the lost soul to rest.
GAME: Vuk rolls ranged+1+1+2: (3)+11+1+1+2: 18
GAME: Vuk rolls 1d10+1+1+2+1d6: (7)+1+1+2+(3): 14
Vuk is now safetly out of range, even if he's wet from the wolf and him smacking into a barrel of water. His rifle barks again and another round explodes into the spirit, sending ectochunks out of it, to wisp away as they fall.
GAME: Nadara rolls 1d20+7: (2)+7: 9
"Rada! Grant me the steel of your spirit!" Corny, sure. But it works. A trident, glowing like gold, appears in the air beside the ghost. And it stabs at the ghost. But gold is a soft metal and it doesn't pierce the ghost's incorporeal hide.
GAME: Hassan rolls 1d20+13: (4)+13: 17
<<DORF DORF!!>> It bellows again, seeming to finally shake off the fog the Vardamite put it into. With a renewed vigor, it surges forward, despite the phantom being barely corporate. The axe is brought out into a side swipe aiming to take the gobliness' head clean off. But while her trident failed in offense, it does block the very real axe hurtling toward's Nadara's neck, before it is flung away a hover a few feet away.
GAME: Schneider rolls 1d20+9: (12)+9: 21
GAME: Schneider rolls 5d6: (20): 20
Schneider grumbles as the ghost dwarf continues attacking. He re-exerts his control over his own ghostly hand and it travels back towards the ghost, trailing faintly crackling flames as he directs it with his will. This time, the hand makes contact with the dwarf, and there is an eruption of flame that seems to consume the dwarf entirely. Schneider manages to look satisfied, though less smug than usual.
Vuk keeps his long gun trained a few more moments before slowly lowering it to point at the ground. "Do we need to conscerate the ground?" He asks, pointedly, or the two clerics..well, they had holy symbols!
With the spectral dwarf warrior dispersed, the dwarven waraxe falls to the ground and lodges into the cobblestone with a dull thud, cleaving stone and mortar with equal aplomb, still sizzling from the giantborn's spell. "H-Help....?" Calls a voice from the smashed carriage's cab, joining some rustling and rumbling around.
Schneider nods slowly about the lost. "Now I see what to do about them, at least." He looks over the axe, reaches down to pick it up if no one else does. If the ghost does reappear, it'll have to wrestle Schneider for it. "Who's there?" he looks towards the rustling and rumbling.
"Is someone in need of aid?" Verna notes the call and approaches what remains of the carriage. Someone must have been operating or within it.
The carriage door facing the sky pops upward before falling back down, only to be pushed all the way past it's arc so it falls open entirely. "UF!" A voice calls out as a dwarf face appears, blood running down his face from a rather nasty gash in his temple. He doesn't look as fierce or aggressive as the last one at least. Being of short stature, however, he is struggling to pull himself up from the ruined coach. "A hand here would be welcomed."
WHen the ghost is gone, Nadara looks relieved. Actually, quite relieved. She eyes the waraxe, then says, "Will that..." And then there's a voice calling for help and she's heading the way to help. Of course, she's a goblin so there's not exactly a lot she can do.
Incidentally, when you've had a better chance to look at the axe (when it's not being swung at your respective heads), the thing is breathtaking. Dwarven scrollwork runs down the haft, with goldleaf in the handle and etching in the head of dwarven warriors with tiny diamonds for eyes.
Vuk isn't going to be much help getting some one out of a carriage, he's also watching the axe used to kill some one suspiciously. "Should we not help the blacksmith first?" His quiet, timid tone squeaks out...it may be Vuk -knows- the man is dead and doesn't want to find out first hand for certain.
Incidentally, when you've had a better chance to look at the axe (when it's not being swung at your respective heads), the thing is breathtaking. Dwarven scrollwork runs down the haft, with goldleaf in the handle and etching in the head of dwarven warriors with tiny diamonds for eyes.
Schneider is pretty sure he saw the blacksmith mangled badly enough that there's not much chance, but he grunts neutrally to Vuk. He looks at the two goblins, and shrugs, heading over to the dwarf and lifting him bodily out with his free hand, if the dwarf lets him.
"That is one fine axe. Bet it'd s-... I mena. It is av ery respected warrior's axe that ought to be return to it's people. It belongs in a museum. A dorf museum. Or something," Nadara does not want to risk angering spirits urther.
The dwarf gladly takes the help, pulled out by Schneider's beefy arm. "Thank you, kind giant. Vezik Forgelighter, at your servi-...." He eyes the smoking, bloody axe and the very much dead blacksmith lying face down in a pool of his own blood, bearded jaw hanging agape. He's a rather rotund dwarf, with hands too soft to be a full time dwarven laborer. Judging by the ink stains on his sleeves and the pair of cracked glasses that he mends with a simple cantrip, he is more of an intellectual type...
In any case, the Watch detains the lot of you for questioning and seems satisfied with the answers they recieve, sending you on your way. Once each of you get out, you find Vezik waiting for you in a new carriage, offering a dinner as the least he can do for saving his life. A large roast and several cups later, the husky khazad rests his hands on his belly as he settles back.
"Well, it's time enough that I told you my end of this situation." He raises up a hand, showing off a signet ring that displays an anvil surrounded by flames. For those that gave the axe a good once over, saw the same symbol on the pommel of the axe. "This is the crest of the Forgelighters. Last year, that axe made it's way to my Great Grandfather and it was put to me to find where it came from and return it to it's proper place. I followed the trail back here, where it was sold by an adventurer named..." He opens a small book produced from under his vest, turning a few pages while adjusting his spectacles. "...Jarek Kell, ten years ago. In this city. Judging by what you've told me of this spectre, it obviously belongs to him. I believe I know who he is. I recall mention of a dwarven warrior of our family with one hand. I will have to study my texts."
Vuk actually understood Khazdul, but he wasn't inclined for conversation, infact, he was being as skittish as always. Seeing as how the spirit appeared from no where, it might do so again! He was actually more worried about needing to burn sage endlessly in his cabin to not become a victim...though some brandy and roasted meat seems to calm him visibly to his more chipper helpful self!
Schneider gives curt answers to the watch, and a thoughtful glance at the axe as the dwarf describes the history of the axe. He'd been reluctant to let it go, because it seemed like it might be useful for smacking ghosts. But it's not his style, he decides. "So, you think the ghost was coming back for his axe?" he wonders, gorging himself happily on good food and drink.
"...no kidding. That'd make a lot of sense. But why would he come back as a ghost? Why now? And how can we put him back to rest? I've laways heard that ghosts have a nasty tendency to keep showing back up." Nadara looks struckby this. "I mean, he obviously wants his axe." She nods to Schneider in agreement.
Vezik nods to Schneider. "It would seem so. The words it screamed. They meant Return. It is strange that it only now manifested. I have had the weapon for the better part of five months now without incident. Let us see...." He opens up one of the cases that are stacked up beside him, going through several volumes of old leather bound books that look to be older than any of you, before pulling one out with silver inlay and a lock with a steel band on it. The dwarf produces a key with intricate teeth and slides it into the lock, popping it open with a click. He peruses the pages carefully with a reverence as if it were a near holy text, taking the time to push his plate and glass away. "This sounds like it. Mind you, this is an abridged version. Wouldn't be prudent to carry the original plates about!" A sausage-like, ink stained finger runs down to halfway down a page and he reads, "Mordak Forgelighter. The Troll Strangler. The Iron Hand. Scourge of the 7 Tribes, Slayer of Byrel, the Swamp Dragon, Garrik the Gluttonous, Riz'kal the God-King...it keeps going for a bit here. Slain by Altima the Sorceress in 942. Laid to Rest in Parts Unknown. Nngh."
"If a soul is unduly bound to a location, object, or other, it can compel them to remain,"Verna opines. The leather tome rapidly draws her interest and she steps over in an attempt to view it.
Schneider nods slowly to Nadara, and says, "If giving him his axe will make him go away, I'm good with that." Schneider wears a greatsword at his hip the way warriors of smaller stature would wear, well, smaller swords. "Give his hand back? I think that might be hard to find, yeah? If rats haven't eaten it. But wait. Killed by Altima in 942? That means it was around here, somewhere, right? Shouldn't the Explorers' Guild have those sorts of records? He might even be buried here with the Vadarmites' catacombs."
Verna considers. "Unless it was somehow preserved, only bone would remain, if any remnant at all."
Vuk isn't exactly privy to dwarven affairs, but he -remembers- the catacombs. "Oh..I don't think we should poke in the catacombs.." Well he was feeling chipper, now they want to go back to the place an undead lady wanted to make pie out of him!
Nadara is consdiering for a moment. "ALl right. So, we know he was killed by Altima herelf, or her forces based on the record. Maybe we can find out from someone how that happened and maybe what was done with the body? Altima dumped a lot of people into mass graves, or simply cremated their remains... but if his body was left, maybe he was interred with other unfortunates from the battle he died with?" She's musing it all over. "BLoody ALtima. Parts Unkown. /Always/ the worst sort. We can return the axe to him. WE just need to figure out wher ehe is. It's possible the Vardamans might know, yeah. WE should ask 'em."
Schneider says to Verna, "That should be enough, right? If he wants his axe, we bury it with him, and his spirit is satisfied?" He shrugs to Vuk, saying, "If the dwarf shows up again, it would be pretty bad. So we ought to do this." He nods at what Nadara says. "Someone there will know. They've got special people just for remembering old things."
Vezik watches the lot of adventurers before him discussing and working. He seems rather enthused about it. "Yes, yes. These are all good ideas," He pauses to pushing his spectacles up, "I think we can cover more ground and resolve this with all of us working together. I can't promise any great rewards, but I can provide some discretionary compensation in the matter and cover expenses, if you were willing to be hired..."